MDI and Westburg enter exclusive distribution agreement for Detect-Ready MRSA panel in Benelux region

Molecular Detection Inc. (MDI), a company developing Detect-Ready™ tests designed to increase the speed and accuracy of infectious disease diagnosis, and life sciences and diagnostics distributor Westburg BV today announced that they have entered into an exclusive agreement for distribution of MDI's Detect-Ready MRSA panel in the Benelux region.  The Detect-Ready panel offers healthcare providers a high-performance MRSA screening test with an unmatched combination of accuracy, speed, flexibility and cost-effectiveness.  This new agreement adds to MDI's growing global network of leading distribution partners.

"This agreement with Westburg extends our strategy of partnering our Detect-Ready MRSA test with major distributors in key territories around the globe," said David Wilson, MDI's vice president for commercial operations, Europe.  "Westburg's record of providing high quality scientific products to a growing number of end-user markets and their commitment to exceptional customer service will support acceptance of the Detect-Ready panel in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.  We anticipate launch in the Benelux region shortly, at which time our Detect-Ready MRSA panel will be available in 10 markets worldwide."

Separately, MDI announced that its Detect-Ready test has been renamed the Detect-Ready MRSA panel in recognition of the fact that it is now CE-marked in the European Union for the detection of  MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA), methicillin-resistant non-S. aureus and mixed samples, which are frequently encountered in actual clinical practice.  MSSA refers to S. aureus infections that can be treated with standard antibiotics.  Both MRSA and MSSA infections pose a growing problem to healthcare facilities and their patients.  A screening test that distinguishes the two types of infections is particularly important for physicians making treatment decisions in the hospital setting, where these infections are most likely to be serious and potentially lethal.

"We are proud to be the first company to offer healthcare providers a rapid and accurate screening panel that includes such a wide range of critical clinical targets for S. aureus and related pathogens," said Todd Wallach, CEO of MDI.  "This new capability further strengthens the superior qualities of the Detect-Ready test, which provides highly accurate MRSA screening results in a simple, easy-to-use and cost-effective format, and now also uniquely offers the ability to simultaneously screen for MSSA pathogens and mixed samples.  This is an example of the scientific leadership we are committed to providing to the infectious disease rapid detection market."

The Detect-Ready MRSA kit is a qualitative real-time PCR (rt-PCR) in vitro diagnostic test for the direct detection of MRSA, MSSA and methicillin-resistant non-S. aureus nasal colonization to aid in the prevention and control of these infections in hospitals and other healthcare settings.  The proprietary technology in the Detect-Ready kit provides a unique differential diagnosis engine that produces highly accurate results, minimizing the false positives and false negatives experienced with other screening kits.  Samples for testing are simple to obtain using nasal swabs and the kit's ready-to-use pre-mixed reagents require only the addition of patient sample to run the test, which provides results in less than three hours.  

"The Detect-Ready MRSA panel is a welcome addition to our portfolio of advanced products for the clinical diagnostics market," said Eppo Boneschanscher, managing director of Westburg BV. "The added capability to distinguish MRSA and MSSA bacteria further enhances what we believe to be the best MRSA screening test on the market today."

Unlike other testing products that require special handling, Detect-Ready kits are off-the-shelf room temperature-stabilized and require no refrigeration.  Detect-Ready kits are compatible with multiple rt-PCR platforms currently found in clinical laboratories, including the Roche LightCycler®, Qiagen Rotor-Gene® and Cepheid SmartCycler®.  The flexibility to leverage existing infrastructure and equipment to run Detect-Ready panels eliminates the need for additional hospital capital investment.  

The Detect-Ready MRSA panel has received the CE mark certification for sales in the European Union.  It is currently available in the UK, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, Spain, Austria and Australia.

Mr. Wallach will kick-off the company presentations at Biotech 2010 with a discussion of recent corporate developments at MDI on October 27, at 9:00 am EDT.  Biotech 2010 is the annual joint symposium of BioNJ and Pennsylvania Bio.  It will be held October 27-28, 2010, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.